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Single-Wall Torsion-Flux Realisation of Duality between M-Theory and Type~I String Theory

by Mir Faizal, Arshid Lone

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Authors (as registered SciPost users):

Arshid Lone

Abstract

We present a direct strong-weak correspondence between eleven-dimensional M-theory and the ten-dimensional Type I superstring by replacing the usual pair of Hořava-Witten boundaries with a single orientifold wall threaded by a minimal half-integral four-form flux through a non-spin real projective four-cycle. The resulting torsion freezes the wall gauge sector to $\mathfrak{so}(28)\oplus\mathfrak{su}(2)$ and elevates the conventional $\mathbb Z_{2}$ D-brane charge to $\mathbb Z_{4}$ in twisted $K$-theory. We verify that the background satisfies the shifted flux-quantisation rule, cancels all local and global anomalies through a properly normalised single-wall Green-Schwarz mechanism, admits a global Pin$^{+}$ structure preserving ten-dimensional $\mathcal N=1$ supersymmetry, and supports a spectrum of non-BPS branes consistent with the $\mathbb Z_{4}$ torsion class. A calibrated Euclidean M2-instanton reproduces the expected non-perturbative curvature correction in the Type I effective action, providing a dynamical test of the duality. These results establish the internal consistency of a torsion-enhanced M $\leftrightarrow$ Type I orientifold duality and open new avenues for exploring flux-induced phenomena in string and M-theory.

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